Cutter chain support means

ABSTRACT

A cutter chain support means and more particularly a mining apparatus supporting a cutter chain for dislodging mineral from a solid mined vein.

United States Patent Rollins Oct. 24, 1972 CUTTER CHAIN SUPPORT MEANS[56] References Cited Inventor: Lester G. Rollins, FOI'BSt Lane, P

Franklin, Pa. 16323 2 6 2 l 3 299/83 50,81 9 195 Joy [22] F11: May 19712,676,005 4/1954 16 ..299/83 [21] App]. N07: 140,500 3,305,273 2/ 1967Kilboume ..299/76 X Related Application Data Primary Examiner-Ernest R.Purser [62] Division Of Ser. NO. 786,649, Dec. '24, 1968,Attorney-Eqwallace Brelsch abandoned.

[57] ABSTRACT [52] us. Cl ..299/s3, 299/67 A cutter chm-n Support meansand more particularly a {51 1 1 c1 ..E21c 27/24 mining apparatusSupporting a cutter chain for [58] Field of Search ..74/243 247;dislodging mineral from a solid mined vein 7 6 11 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures 90 .95 75 //0 a4 99 m /00 92 /08 I06 I 0 6 Patented Oct. 24,1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CUTTER CHAIN SUPPORT MEANS This application is adivision of application Ser. No. 786,649 filed Dec. 24, 1968 nowabandoned and is filed pursuant to an examiners requirement forrestric-.

cludes a conventional loading head for gathering the loose mineral onthe mine floor and moving it rearwardly and inwardly toward the forwardreceiving portion of the conveying means of the apparatus.

The present invention contemplates improvement of such known type ofmining apparatus, for example: an improved cutter chain drive sprocketstructure for superior supporting of the cutter chain.

This and other objects and advantages of this invention will become morereadily apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mining machine embodying theprinciples of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken on line 22 of FIG.1 and showing a portion of the cutter head assembly; I

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the cutter chain drive sprocketstructure of this invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken on line 44of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the drive sprocket ofthis invention taken substantially from lineS-S of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the portion of the cutterchain supports partly illustrated in FIG. 2, on a larger scale;

' A continuous mining machine, generally designated at 10, whichembodies the principles of this invention may assume various forms butfor illustrative purposes, herein comprises a crawler base 14 carrying aframe 16 on which a forwardly extending mining boom 18 is pivotablymounted at the forward end of frame 16 to swing up and down between amine roof and a mine floor. A cutting head assembly 24 extendstransversely of boom 18 and is rotatably secured thereto at the forwardend thereof. Pivotably mounted at the forward end of frame 16 andextending forwardly therefrom beneath the boom 18 is a conventionalloading head 26 having oscillatory gathering arms 28 for engaging minedmineral and moving such mineral rearwardly and inwardly toward a wellknown conveying means 30 of the mining machine 10. Conventional fluidjacks (not shown) serve to swing the boom 18 in a vertical plane aboutthe pivot axis thereof and tilt the loading head 26 about the horizontalaxis thereof. The fluid jacks have one end thereof secured to theforward end of frame 16 and have the other end thereof secured torespective rearward lever ends of boom 18 and loading head 26. Motors36, which are suitably rigidly secured by suitable brackets to boom 18,drive the cutting head assembly 24 in any suitable manner.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cutting head assembly 24, which is rotatablydriven by any suitable gearing arrangement, for example, that gearingarrangement shown and illustrated in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.786,650, filed Dec. 3, 1968, andassigned to the same assignee as is thisinvention, comprises: an endless circulating belt type continuous hingecutter chain 76 which is symmetrical with respect to the center line ofmachine 10; hollow cylindrical rotary drum cutting heads 78 which extendoutwardly from respective sides of chain 76; and hollow cylindricalrotary drum cutting head extensions 80 which are slidably partiallyreceived within respective heads 78 and are selectively hydraulicallyextendable outwardly therefrom. A cutting head assembly drive shaft (seeFIG. 2) which is rotatably supported by a forward portion 74 of a gearcasing 56 located at the forward end of boom 18, extends transverselythrough heads 78 and extensions 80 and rotatably drives the cutting headassembly 24. For a more detailed description of the structure andoperation of cutting head assembly 24 and shaft 70 reference is made tothe hereinabove mentioned U.S. application Ser. No. 786,650.

At the longitudinal centerline of machine 10 a cutter chain drivesprocket 82 is in splined engagement with shaft 70. Drive sprocket 82has a plurality of teeth 84 around the outer periphery thereof whichdrivably engage thecutter chain 76 as hereinafter described. A suitablerear idler sprocket 86 which is rotatable on a shaft 88 which extendstransversely of the boom 18 provides well known tensioning and motionreversing means for the cutter chain 76 to form a continuous orbitalpath therefor.

Each rotary drum cutting head 78 has a radially outwardly extendingflange 106 at the inner ends thereof and a reduced diameter portionthereof forms a chain end supporting seat 108 which extends axially fromflange 106 toward the centerline of machine 10. Seats 108 extend under aportion of the outer edges of the links of the endless circulatingcutter chain 76 (see FIG. 6) and with such a location act to support thebight portion of the cutter chain 76 at the edges thereof where it istrained about the rotary drum cutting heads 78. The rotational speeds ofthe cutter chain 76 and the seats 108 are equal and therefore there isno sliding movement of cutter chain 76 with respect to the seats 108during the time chain 76 is supported by seats 108. Because of this lackof relative movement there is no wearing between the respective contactsurfaces of seats 108 and chain 76.

A sprocket providing the cutter chain central support areas constructedaccording to the principles of this invention is shown in FIGS. 3through 6 and comprises the cutter chain drive sprocket 82 having spacedarcuate shoulders 109 thereon at the flanks of teeth 84. There are noshoulders 109 at the tooth roots 110 and the shoulders 109 are sodimensioned that the diameters of the shoulder circles of the sprocket82 are substantially greater than the diameter of the tooth root circleof sprocket 82.

The cutter chain drive sprocket 82 is dimensioned to provide arcuateshoulder surfaces 1 11 thereof which lie in approximately the samecylindrical surface as the contact surfaces of the spaced seats 108.With such surfaces 111 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) each link in the bightportion of chain 76 is supported at four areas, namely;

two end supports at the contact surfaces of the spaced seats 108; andtwo central supports at the shoulder surfaces 1 11 of the drive sprocket82. With such a support arrangement deflection of chain 76 is minimizedand the maximum bending moment due to cutting loads is reduced over thatdeflection and bending moment which would develop under the same loadingif the chain 76 had only one, two or three areas of support.

This support arrangement allows the use of cutter chains having agreater chain width to pitch length ratio than previously permitted, forexample a chain width to pitch length ratio of four to one, or more. Awidth to pitch length ratio of no less than four to one is desirable forthe construction of a chain wide enough for the purposes of thisinvention as hereinafter set forth while maintaining a sufficientflexibility to avoid unreasonably large sprocket diameters. If the chainwidth to pitch length ratio is less than four to one, the required chainwidth would yield a pitch length requiring sprockets too large to beused in a cutter head such as hereinbefore described. A similar chainsupporting arrangement but providing three point support is fullyillustrated and shown in the hereinbefore mentioned U.S. applicationSer. No. 786,650.

Well known screw type conveyor scrolls 118 are secured to the outerperiphery of rotary drum cutting heads 78 and to well known scrollportion supporting sheaths 115 which are secured to the outer endportions of the rotary drum cutting head extensions 80 which are notreceivable within cutting head 78 to support scroll portions 119 movablewith the extensions 80. Such sheaths 115 allow the extension andretraction of head extensions 80 with scroll portions 119 thereon whilestill maintaining substantially continuous conveying surfaces withrespect to the scrolls 118 on heads 78. Scrolls 118 and the cuttingchain 76 have a plurality of suitable bit holders 120 secured adjacentthe outer peripheral edges thereof in a suitable spaced orientation toone another. A cutter bit 122 is inserted in each bit holder 120. Cutterbits 122 may be of any suitable type and as shown are plumb bob, deeppenetrating, point attack, conical bits. The scrolls 118 are suitablyarranged to convey a portion of mineral mined by bits 122 inwardly fromsuch bit location toward the cutting chain 76. End cutter caps 124 aresuitably secured to the outer ends of head extensions 80. Bit holders120 and cutter bits 122 are secured to caps 124 in a suitable spacedorientation to one another.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6 the cutter chain 76 comprises a plurality oflinks 90 which are hingedly connected together. Each link 90 comprisesan elongated plate or body portion 92 having a plurality of elongatedpartially cylindrical hinge portions 91 axially spaced along the sidesthereof. The hinge portions 91 of links 90 are formed integrally withthe body portion 92 or rigidly secured thereto as by welding or thelike. The hinge portions 91 form hinge notches 93 therebetween and in awell known manner are interfltted with hinge portions 91 of an adjacentlink 90 and pivotally secured in such relationship by an elongated hingepin (not shown). For further description of such a chain see U.S.application Ser. No. 786,649 of which this application is a division.

A centrally located drive sprocket opening 96 is provided in each bodyportion 92 through which a tooth 84 of cutter chain drive sprocket 82extends to drive the cutter chain 76. Openings 96 may be of any suitableconfiguration which will permit suitable tooth engagement to drive chain76. As shown opening 96 is a generally square opening symmetricallylocated with respect to the centerline of machine 10. The distancebetween centerlines of links sometimes referred to as the pitch lengthof the chain 76 is substantially equal to the pitch distance of theteeth 84 of drive sprocket 82.

Cutter chain 76 has a plurality of suitable bit holders 120 (only one ofwhich is shown in FIG. 2) secured thereto in any suitable manner, forexample welding around the peripheral edges of a bit holder 120 to joinsuch holder to body portion 92. A cutter bit 122 is to be inserted ineach bit holder 120. The bit holders are positioned in a suitable spacedorientation to one another to mine mineral forwardly of machine 10 andas such there is no requisite that each and every link 90 have a bitholder 120 thereon.

Cutter chain 76 additionally includes a plurality of conveyor flightsgenerally indicated at 98 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 2) whichextend transversely of cutter chain 76 between adjacent links 90.Flights 98 are formed from a plurality of aligned lug portions 99 and100 which project upwardly (in FIG. 6) from the working surface of chain76.

Such lug portions are formed integrally with hinge portions 91 or arerigidly secured thereto as by welding or the like and include; lugs 99which extend along substantially the entire length of a central hingeportion and project upwardly from the side of such hinge portions andlugs 100 which extend along substantially the entire length of shorthinge portions 91 and project upwardly therefrom, as seen in FIG. 6.

Upon assembly of adjacent links 90 in a manner hereinbefore described,lug portions 99 and 100 form conveyor flights 98 which are in spacedrelationship to one another to deflne conveying pockets in cutter chain76 between adjacent flights 98.

Referring particularly to FIG. 6 wherein there is shown a single link 90in the condition to be found in those links 90 when making up part ofthe bight portion of the chain 76 at the forward end of the machine 10in substantial alignment with the forward periphery of the cuttersupporting scrolls 118 of the rotary head 78. It is to be seen that thebottom surface of each link body portion 92 is supported when in thebight portion of the chain 76 by left and right hand chain supportingseats 108 (as seen in FIG. 6) and in its central portion on both sidesof the sprocket opening 96 is supported by the arcuate shoulder surfaces111 of the sprocket 82. For this support function it is desired that thediameter of the seat 108 and the diameter of the shoulders 111 besubstantially equal and that such surfaces be coaxial with each other.It is however not necessary that these values be exactly the same since.the purpose of the four-point support of this invention will be servedby substantial alignment of the four surfaces at least within the limitsimposed by the amount of bending the links 90 can undergo withoutexceeding the yield point of the material of the links 90.

it is to be realized that one of the advantages of the four-pointsupport design resides in the relative ease of machining the arcuatesurfaces 111 to the desired accuracy rather than having to form the rootsurfaces 110 between the teeth to that same accuracy to provide theproper support of the links 90. Another advantage of the four-pointsupport design of this invention resides in avoiding the imposition ofsupport stress along the central line of the links 90 where the materialis approximately half cut away by the presence of the sprocket openings96. Thus, the location at which support stress is applied, determined bythe presence of the arcuate surfaces 111 is, in the structure accordingto this invention, shown to be the solid portion of .the link where thestrength is much greater than in the half cut away central portion.

To mine mineral from a mineral face, the operator of machine initiallypivots the boom 18 upwardly to a mine roof line. After such initialpivoting the cutter head assembly 24 is sumped forwardly to begin a cutin the mine face. After the sumping is completed the boom 18 is drawndownwardly toward the mine floor until the shear cut of the face iscomplete. During the sumping and shearing phase it is important that themined mineral be quickly removed from the face ledge (i.e., thetransverse shelf area which exists between the old forward face and thenewly partially formed mined forward face, upon which shelf the mainmining action occurs). If the mineral is not quickly removed theefficiency of the cutter head assembly 24 is greatly reduced because ofincreased horsepower demand and slower cutting rate and, additionally,an inordinate amount of undesirable mineral fines is produced.

Preferred embodiments of this invention having been hereinbeforedescribed and herewith illustrated it is to be realized that variationsin the specific structure are envisioned and contemplated, such as thefour areas of support for the bight portion of chain 76 can deviate froma common cylindrical surface by a substantial misalignment but notsufficient to result in stressing a link beyond the yield point thereof.

It is therefore respectfully requested that this invention beinterpreted as broadly as possible and limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cutter head for a mining machine consisting of a pair of axiallyelongated cutter carrying coaxial drum elements mounted on a common headshaft in axially spaced relationship; a single cutter chain drivesprocket drivingly mounted centrally of said shaft intermediate saiddrum elements, said sprocket being adapted to drive a cutter chain; saiddrive sprocket having tooth portions thereon separated by root surfacestherebetween; adjacent end portions of said drum elements having arcuatechain support contact surfaces thereon; and said sprocket having arcuateshoulder surfaces on each flank of each tooth with said shouldersurfaces lying in approximately the same cylindrical surface as saidcontact surfaces on said drum elements to provide laterally spaced fourpoint support for such a chain.

2. A cutter assembly for a mining machine comprising the cutter headspecified in claim 1 combined with an endless orbitable cutter chainsupported on said four point support and having a chain width to pitchratio of at least 4 to 1.

3. The cutter assembly as specified in claim 2 wherein said cutter chainis formed of hingedly connected links and each link in turn issimultaneously supported at said laterally spaced four points through aportion of the orbit of said chains.

4. A cutter assembly as specified in claim 2 additionally comprising anidler sprocket rotatable on an axis laterally spaced from and parallelto the axis of rotation of said drive sprocket, said chain being trainedabout both of said sprockets in a substantially elliptical shape.

5. The cutter assembly as specified in claim 4 wherein said cutter chaindrive sprocket is powered to drive said cutter chain in a substantiallyelliptical orbit having respective bi'ght shaped end portions about saidsprocket and each link of said chain supported at said four pointssimultaneously through at least a major portion of one of said bightportions of said orbit.

6. The cutter assembly as specified in claim 3 wherein each of saidlinks comprises a plurality of hinge portions separated by a pluralityof hinge notches therebetween with said hinge portions so located thatthe hinge portions of one of said links fit into the hinge notches ofthe adjacent ones of said links between the hinge portions thereof.

7. The cutter assembly as specified in claim 6 wherein said hingeportions of said adjacent links are pivotally connected together by asingle hinge pin extending through the interfitted hinge portionsbetween each pair of said links across substantially the full width ofsaid chain. V

8. A mining machine cutter chain comprising; a plurality of hingedlyconnected links, each of said links being elongated laterally from thelongitudinal centerline of said chain and having a chain width to pitchlength ratio of at least four to one, each link comprising a bodyportion having a centrally located generally square drive sprocketopening therethrough, each link has four relatively alignedsubstantially coplanar areas upon the undersurface thereof, two of saidareas being end portions of the body undersurface and the other two ofsaid areas being body undersurface portions laterally adjacent saiddrive sprocket opening with respect to said longitudinal centerline.

9. A mining machine cutter chain as specified in claim 8 in combinationwith a cutter head assembly additionally comprising; an elongatedsupport member; an elongated mining head member mounted at the forwardend of said support member for powered rotation about the centrallongitudinal axis of said head member; axially spaced portions of saidhead member being cutter carrying rotary elements; said chain is acontinuous hinge cutter chain movable in an orbital path extendingtransversely to said longitudinal axis, said orbit end portion beinggenerally aligned with a forward peripheral portion of said rotaryelements and the width of said chain extending between said rotaryelements and said chain is trained about, supported and driven by asingle sprocket located intermediate between said rotary elements and.having a plurality of teeth thereon, the improvement further comprising:said support means being four supporting areas for each of said chainlinks made up of adjacent end portions of said rotary elements and ashoulder area on each flank of the tooth of said sprocket engaged withthe respective link undersurface portions while sai link is part of saidorbit end portion.

. 10. A mining machine as specified in claim 9 wherein the shouldercircle is of substantially greater diameter than the diameter of thetooth root circle of said sprocket.

11. A mining machine cutter chain as specified in claim 8 additionallycomprising bit blocks mounted upon a surface of said body portion of atleast some of said links opposite said undersurface.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,700,285 Dated October 24, 1972 lnven fl Lester G. Rollins It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 1, line 7 (col. 5, line 53) cancel "drive"; (2nd occurrence) lines8 and 9 (col. 5, line 54 and 55) cancel "separated by root surfacestherebetween line 12 (col. 5, line 58) after "tooth" insert portion line15 (col. 5, line 61) before "laterally" insert four same line cancel"four point I same line after "support insert surfaces Claim 2, line 4(col. 5, line 67) cancel "point same line after "support insert surfacesClaim 3, line 4- (col. 6, line 4) before "laterally" insert four sameline cancel "four points and substitute support surfaces Claim 5, line 6(col. 6, line 17) cancel "points" and substitute support surfaces Claim8, line 1 (col. 6, line 32) after "comprising" insert a cutter chainhaving I line 10 (col. 6, line 41) cancel "body" and substitute link Iline 11 (col. 6, line 42) cancel "body" and substitute link Y v Claim 9,line 18 (col. 6, line 63) cancel "being and substitute having I I Claim10, line 2 (col. 7, line 2) cancel "circle is of" and substitutesurfaces have a I Claim ll, line 4 (col. 7, line 8) cancel "said" andsubstitute the link Signed and sealed this 22nd day of May 1973.

(SEAL) Attestz EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents FORM PC4050 uscoMM-oc sows-P69 A UCS. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE I 1959 0355'334

1. A cutter head for a mining machine consisting of a pair of axiallyelongated cutter carrying coaxial drum elements mounted on a common headshaft in axially spaced relationship; a single cutter chain drivesprocket drivingly mounted centrally of said shaft intermediate saiddrum elements, said sprocket being adapted to drive a cutter chain; saiddrive sprocket having tooth portions thereon separated by root surfacestherebetween; adjacent end portions of said drum elements having arcuatechain support contact surfaces thereon; and said sprocket having arcuateshoulder surfaces on each flank of each tooth with said shouldersurfaces lying in approximately the same cylindrical surface as saidcontact surfaces on said drum elements to provide laterally spaced fourpoint support for such a chain.
 2. A cutter assembly for a miningmachine comprising the cutter head specified in claim 1 combined with anendless orbitable cutter chain supported on said four point support andhaving a chain width to pitch ratio of at least 4 to
 1. 3. The cutterassembly as specified in claim 2 wherein said cutter chain is formed ofhingedly connected links and each link in turn is simultaneouslysupported at said laterally spaced four points through a portion of theorbit of said chains.
 4. A cutter assembly as specified in claim 2additionally comprising an idler sprocket rotatable on an axis laterallyspaced from and parallel to the axis of rotation of said drive sprocket,said chain being trained about both of said sprockets in a substantiallyelliptical shape.
 5. The cutter assembly as specified in claim 4 whereinsaid cutter chain drive sprocket is powered to drive said cutter chainin a substantially elliptical orbit having respective bight shaped endportions about said sprocket and each link of said chain supported atsaid four points simultaneously through at least a major portion of oneof said bight portions of said orbit.
 6. The cutter assembly asspecified in claim 3 wherein each of said links comprises a plurality ofhinge portions separated by a plurality of hinge notches therebetweenwith said hinge portions so located that the hinge portions of one ofsaid links fit into the hinge notches of the adjacent ones of said linksbetween the hinge portions thereof.
 7. The cutter assembly as specifiedin claim 6 wherein said hinge portions of said adjacent links arepivotally connected together by a single hinge pin extending through theinterfitted hinge portions between each pair of said links acrosssubstantially the full width of said chain.
 8. A mining machine cutterchain comprising; a plurality of hingedly connected links, each of saidlinks being elongated laterally from the longitudinal centerline of saidchain and having a chain width to pitch length ratio of at least four toone, each link comprising a body portion having a centrally locatedgenerally square drive sprocket opening therethrough, each link has fourrelatively aligned substantially coplanar areas upon the undersurfacethereof, two of said areas being end portions of the body undersurfaceand the other two of said areas being body undersurface portionslaterally adjacent said drive sprocket opening with respect to saidlongitudinal centerline.
 9. A mining machine cutter chain as specifiedin claim 8 in combination with a cutter head assembly additionallycomprising; an elongated support member; an elongated mining head membermounted at the forward end of said support member for powered rotationabout the central longitudinal axis oF said head member; axially spacedportions of said head member being cutter carrying rotary elements; saidchain is a continuous hinge cutter chain movable in an orbital pathextending transversely to said longitudinal axis, said orbit end portionbeing generally aligned with a forward peripheral portion of said rotaryelements and the width of said chain extending between said rotaryelements and said chain is trained about, supported and driven by asingle sprocket located intermediate between said rotary elements andhaving a plurality of teeth thereon, the improvement further comprising:said support means being four supporting areas for each of said chainlinks made up of adjacent end portions of said rotary elements and ashoulder area on each flank of the tooth of said sprocket engaged withthe respective link undersurface portions while said link is part ofsaid orbit end portion.
 10. A mining machine as specified in claim 9wherein the shoulder circle is of substantially greater diameter thanthe diameter of the tooth root circle of said sprocket.
 11. A miningmachine cutter chain as specified in claim 8 additionally comprising bitblocks mounted upon a surface of said body portion of at least some ofsaid links opposite said undersurface.